Rand Paul says Obamacare ‘repeal’ secrecy is cause for concern

Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) blasted his Republican colleagues Thursday for keeping the party leadership’s draft plan to repeal and replace Obamacare under lock and key. The lawmaker said the move suggests that leadership is attempting to hide the fact that the forthcoming legislation will be “Obamacare Lite.”

According to reports, the House bill is being kept in a special viewing room where a select group of lawmakers are being allowed to review its contents. The bill’s top-secret treatment is likely a reaction to leaks of an outdated draft of the repeal last week, the contents of which caused conservative uproar over its watered-down nature.

In a series of tweets, Paul lambasted lawmakers for attempting to move ahead with an equally weak Obamacare effort by shielding it from outside criticism from conservatives.

“This is unacceptable. This is the biggest issue before Congress and the American people right now,” Paul said.

The Kentucky Republican  suggested that lawmakers should bring up for a vote full repeal efforts which passed in both chambers in 2015 rather than attempt to draft a new bill which keeps government in the healthcare business.

“Renaming and keeping parts of Obamacare, new entitlements and extending Medicaid expansion are not the [full repeal] we promised,” he said.

Paul, after being turned away by a staffer when he asked for a copy of the bill, told reporters that the leadership wants to block out any opportunity for debate and offer a “take it or leave it” solution.

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